looking for someone to make a peice of art

cathy01

Hi ya.
I am looking at getting a bed made for my kids.
I seen one,

http://cgi.ebay.ie/Handmade-Childrens-day-Bed-and-trundle_W0QQitemZ140173253758QQihZ004QQcategoryZ66742QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItem?_trksid=p1638.m118
Hoep this link worksBut it is in England.

Do you know of someone who could make this type of bed. I think its lovely .I can see myself passing it on from one child to the next and so one.

thanks,
cathy

Qwerty?

That item has ended. Which bed is it that you are interested in?

cathy01

One the same as this.One with a tundrel.I want it to be special. I love things that a heart have gone into , if you know what I mean.So a single bed, with a drew underneath it. Made by a caring person. Not someone who can drill MDF together and glue it all over. Someone who is looking for a home for their work where it will be loved and passed on and on and on.
I still have a cot I received 15 years ago.
Thanks for any advice or tips.
Cathy

JoeB-

Hi Cathy.

Since you asked I'll answer. I could make a bed similar to that. I am looking at the one with three high sides, one low side, a flower motif and a 'trundel' drawer underneath (whatever that is!)

I am in Wicklow, if that's not near you then check out furniture.ie for a list of cabinet makers from around the country, any of them should be able to do it.

On a technical note the bed looks like a modern mass produced bed from MDF, assembled using 'knock down' fittings and the pieces cut to size on a computer controlled CNC machine.

AHA, now I see the other pictures, a 'trundel' drawer contains a second mattress! Still, that's no problem. You could even save money if you wanted the bed sprayed entirely white and you could paint or stencil on the flower motif yourself.

Check out Lilliput.ie for similar childrens furniture in Ireland, nothing the exact same but they have some beds in bright colours for kids.

Cheers
Joe

cathy01

hi ya, JOE.I think this one is nice but as you say MDF is not good.I think Pine.
anyway I will have a look at Furniture.ie
Thanks,
cathy

JoeB-

Well, you must be a mindreader, I commented that it was most likely made from MDF but I didn't suggest that MDF was a bad material although I think there are pros and cons to using it. Pros are it's cheap and takes paint well, cons are that it is glorified cardboard but can still be ok if used correctly. (I could give some links to top UK cabinet makers who use MDF and you would never guess, fantastic work and very long lasting too I'd imagine)

Having said that I make furniture for a living and 85% of it is made from solid pine, 3% is MDF if the customer insists, the other 12% would be solid hardwoods like Oak, Ash etc... (making furniture entirely from solid hardwoods works out at double the price or more compared to solid pine.)

So I feel solid pine gives the advantages of solid wood without the disadvantage of the high price of solid hardwoods. Mainly this comes down to one thing... pine can be got in premade panels of 8' x 4'... hardwoods can only be got in (rough sawn) planks which require a lot of work simply to get them to the stage of the bought in pine panels. (The exception may be solid hardwood flooring which if bought in a good sale at half price etc can work out very well). Virtually nobody makes furniture entirely from hardwoods due to cost, even that advertised as such is most likely a hybrid of hardwoods and real wood veneered MDF, something that I too have done on occasion.

Good luck with finding someone, I reckon you'll easily get someone on furniture.ie in your local area who can do the work no problem.

Cheers
Joe

cathy01

I could be wrong Joe, and am most likely to be wrong, but is there not something about MDF, been bad for the lungs.Over time.Something like that.Like is a few years it will be banned?
thanks,
cathy

Alun

cathy01 wrote: »

I could be wrong Joe, and am most likely to be wrong, but is there not something about MDF, been bad for the lungs.Over time.Something like that.Like is a few years it will be banned?

That's only if you're working with it .. sawing, sanding etc. The dust this gives off is very fine and can cause health problems if inhaled.

JoeB-

There is also the problem with it offgassing formaldahyde (used in manufacture)... gradually the panels will release less and less, similar to the 'half life' of radioactive materials, i.e after two years it will be releasing half the amount, two years later it will be releasing a quarter etc.. (figures made up so not accurate)....

'Medite' brand MDF is formaldahyde free... it's also made in Ireland. Cathy, you may be right that formalahyde based glues may be banned, I haven't heard about it but then I don't use it...

And Alun is right, the dust is very fine and dangerous, it is hard to collect with dust extractors.

Cheers
Joe

cathy01

hi all, thanks for the replies.I am going to , cut the legs iff her bunk bed, and get a couple of drawers for now.Honeslty , what can you do with a 11 pre teen!!!
thanks all, great site and great help.I would love to be ablet o make things .Your all gifted, even if its only with kindness.:)
thanks,
cathy